Star identifier



June 18, 1946. 7L. WOLFE 2,402,194

STAR IDENTIFIER Filed Dec. 19 v1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 JEETER WULFE.

June 18, 1946. L. WOLFE STAR IDENTIFIER Filed Dec. 19, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ARCTU U 5 Elma/"m LE5 TEE WULFEL Patented June 18, 1946 UNITED STATES PAT OFFICE.

(Grantediunder the act of;March.3',.188'3,. as:

amended April. 30, 19281;. 3:70- '...G.-.7.57')

This invention relates to a star identifier and has for an object" to provide a star identifier in the form of'a concave hemisphere with the zenith of'the observer as the zenith oi? the star identifier.

One of the objects of thisinvention isto provide a star identifier in which various star groups and'posi'tions are shown exactly as they appeartotheeye of the observer who views the sky facing any horizon.

Another object of the invention is to provide a star identifier in which distortions and inaccuracies; always present when showing a spherical: area on a plane surface, are eliminated.

Yetanother object of" the invention is to provide a hemispherical star identifier in which the concave hemispherical area ismanually adjustable to represent the visible skyat the desired hour of the day: or-ni'ght for any time of the year;

Still another object of the. invention, as a: manufacturing sequence, is to depict a star identifier on the outer surface of a spherical body, made of thin elastic material, collapse the same so as toform a hemisphere or bowl with a double in. which approximately one-half of the outer surface of the spherical. body-forms a con vex' surface of the: hemispherical double walled bowl: and. the remaining half. forms the. inner concave. surface of. the bowl. which latter. surface shows the. star identifier to be: viewed by the observer.

Another: object; of; the. invention is: to provide. a hemispherical star identifier, having the shape of a bowl, which; is folded. along a. great circle. line. of the original. hollow sphere and in. which the edge.- or (great circle line) represents the horizon; of the concave surface of the star iden-- tifier showing thevisible sky- A. further: object: of. this invention. is to pro.- vide a. pair of hemispherical members: to. be. used in conjunction. with the star identifier formaking the star identifier assume a hemispherical shape with the. zenith of the star identifiercoincidi'ng with the zenith of the observer and for retaining it in such hemispherical shape.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a pai'rof hemispherical shells, one. of which is of slightly lesser diameter than the other and which lesser diameter hemisphere will. be, preferably of. somewhat stifi transparent material having, a. suitable grid. thereon; toassist: in locating. the. stars. on. the identifier.

Still. another. object of this invention: is to provide: a spherical star. identifier which is; held. in

2 hemispherical condition by a pairofhemlspherie cal shells of slightly different diameter, the shell of greater diameter being such that it may be located on the outside of" the" star identifier or-inside the star identifierto act as backin member when the transparent shell of lesser diameter-is operated tocollapse the spherical identifier-thereagainst.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide an improvement on the star map depicted in U. S..Pa-tent No. 2.135387 of Novemher '1, 19383 to Houston; principally by the provision of the cooperating hemispherical shells.

Yet another object of this:invention is to provide aspherical member having theentireheavens depicted thereon in such manner that when it is collapsed to forma hemisphere with the zenith on the concave portion of th hemisphere coinciding' with the zenith of" the observer, all, or at least the principal; stars visible in the heavens will be correspondingly depicted in the concave portion of" the hemisphere.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a star identifier on a concave hemisphericar surface wherein the zenith ofshch surface may be kept in coincidence with the zenith of' the observer irrespective, as" the zenith of the observer may change either through passage of time or-through passage of the. observer over the surface of the earth.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth", claimed and illustrated in the drawings in which:

Fig. i is an elevational view of the spherical member forming part of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the spherical member: of Fig; 1.

Fig; 3 is. a perspective view of: the inner hemispherical: shell;

Fig: 4. is abottom plan viewlooking. into the concave sid of Fig; 3..

Fig. 5. is,- a perspective viewof. the. assembled star. identifier in: operative.- position.

Fig. 6. is. a. sectional. view through. the assembled star identifier...

"1 is a perspective outside view of the outer shell.

Fig. 8 is a, partly sectional, partly elevational view showing'the method ofassembling the shells and sphere together.

Fig. 9- is a partly elevational, partly sectional viewof aslight'l y modified form Withthe backing shell. located" within the sphere.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view of the assembled identifier of Fig. 9, and

Fig. 11 is a partly sectional, partly elevational view of an inner shell to be used with the form of Figs. 9 and 10.

There is shown at ID a spherical member of resilient material having the principal stars I I of the entire heavens depicted thereon in their true relationship to each other and to the equinoctial l2 as well as to -180 meridian line l3 together with the poles 15. However, instead of having the SHA [4 increase in a clockwise direction as it does in the normal star globe, the SEA M'increases in a counterclockwise direction when looking down upon the celestial sphere from a point along the northerly extension of the polar axis. This arrangement is necessary because it is not the convex surface of the sphere it that is intended to be used in identifying the stars, but rather it is a concave surface formed by collapsing one side of the sphere into the other that is used in providing the star identifier of this invention. The sphere I0 is provided with additional intermediary meridian and declination lines lfibeing printed in a tint lighter than the ones designated l2 and I3 and are for the purpose of assisting the operator in definitely marking his position on the sphere l0.

In order to collapse this sphere l0 into a hemisphere having a concave star identifier surface, the sphere It is provided with a plurality of vents l! which permit easy collapse. Two shells, a backing shell l8 and an inner shell IQ of slightly lesser diameter than thebacking shell l8, are provided for collapsing the sphere therebetween and holding it in the collapsed form shown in Figs. 5 and 6; The inner shell I9 is necessarily of a transparent material, being made of any suitable transparent plastic such as glass, somewhat stifi pliofilm, or any other suitable plastic, and is provided with a grid 21! together with meridian and declination lines 2| and 22, suitably marked as at 23 and M. While these markings 23 and 24 maybe on either surface of the transparent hemispherical shell 19, they are so located that they are visible from the concave surface thereof. In addition, the shell l9 may be provided with a lip or flange 25, adapted to cooperate with a correspondin lip or flange 26 on the outer shell I 8.

For convenience of manufacture, the outer shell l8 may be of a similar material in which case it would be transparent, although it would likewise be serviceable if of a different m t rial, either transparent or opaque. Suitable clips 21' may be provided for clamping the lips 25 and 25 together and holding the. star identifier in assembled position. 1

As shown in Fig. 8 the star identifier is easily assembled by placing the zenith or pole 28 of the transparent inner shell l9 against that point on the surface of the sphere l0 corresponding to the zenith of the observer and pushing the shell 19 against the sphere into the backing shell is, after which the clamps 21 may be put into position. The shell I!) may be of a tint corresponding to the color of meridian lines IE on sphere Ill, hence the lines 16 serve to locate the zenith when assembling, as in Fig. 8, then are invisible when viewed through'the concave side of shell IS. The sphere I0 is made of a suitable material capable of receiving the data on its outer surface and of such material that it 'may be easily collapsed. Natural rubber is one suitable material that will A, well serve this purpose, although any plastic having similar properties may likewise be used.

In the form of invention shown in Figs. 9, 10, and 11 the backing shell 29 is located permanently within the sphere Ill and the transparent inner shell 30 is pushed against the point on the sphere Ill" corresponding to the zenith to collapse the sphere l0 to the star identifying form shown in Fig; 10. The shell lips are necessarily omitted on this form, although clips 3i can similarly be placed over the edges of the hemisphere thus formed to hold it in position.

In operation, after collapsing the sphere 10 so as to have the zenith of the inner shell correspond with the observers zenith, the observer holds the identifier above his head slightly out of his line of sight to the stars that he is attempting to identify and then orientates the identifier until the stars depicted thereon are in the same relationship to him as the stars visible in the heavens, thus enabling him to compare the formation in the heavens with the corresponding formation depicted in the concave surface of the identifier and locate and identify such of the principal stars visible to him as he wishes.

Other modifications and changes in the number and arrangement of the parts may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the nature of this invention, within the scope of what is hereinafter claimed.

The invention herein described and claimed may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

What is claimed is:

1. As an article of manufacture, a star identifier comprising a hemispherical body composed of flexible material having the principal stars of the entire heavens depicted thereon with the SHA increasing in counterclockwise direction when observed from the northern polar direction, said spherical body being foldable at any selected circumference to the shape of a double-walled hemispherical bowl having its edge approximately a great circle to depict the heavens at any selected zenith on its concave surface, and a pair of hemispherical shells of slightly different diameter cooperating with said collapsed sphere to hold it in folded position, the shell of lesser diameter being transparent and permitting the concave surface thereof to be visible therethrough.

2. As an article of manufacture, a star identifier comprising a hemispherical body composed of flexible material having the principal stars of the entire heavens depicted thereon with the SHA increasing in counterclockwise direction when observed from the northern polar direction, said spherical body being foldable at any selected circumference to the shape of a double-walled hemispherical bowl to depict the heavens at any selected zenith on its concave surface.

3. As an article of manufacture, a star identifier comprising a hemispherical body composed offlexible material having the principal stars of the entire heavens depicted thereon with the SHA increasing in counterclockwise direction when observed from the northern polar direction, said spherical body being foldable at any selected circumference to the shape of a double-walled hemispherical bowl having its edge approximately a great circle to depict the heavens at any selected zenith on its concave surface, and a pair of hemispherical members of slightly different diameter cooperating with said collapsed sphere to hold it 5 in folded position, the shell of lesser diameter being transparent and having a SHA grid thereon and permitting the concave surface thereof visible through the transparent inner shell with the SHA grid superimposed on the star data.

4. For use in folding a flexible sphere having a map of the stars thereon to any selected zenith on its concave surface, a pair of hemispherical shells, one of said shells being of a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the folded sphere, the other of said shells being of a slightly larger diameter than said first shell.

5. For use in folding a flexible sphere having a map of the stars thereon to any selected zenith on its concave surface, a pair of hemispherical shells, one of said shells being of a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the folded sphere, the other of said shells being of a slightly larger diameter than said first shell, said first mentioned shell being of transparent material.

6. For use in folding a flexible sphere having a map of the stars thereon to any selected zenith on its concave surface, a pair of hemispherical shells, one of said shells being of a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the folded sphere, the other of said shells being of a slightly 6 larger diameter than said first shell, said first mentioned shell being of transparent material and having an SHA grid depicted thereon.

7. For use in folding a flexible sphere having a map of the stars thereon to any selected zenith on its concave surface, a pair of hemispherical shells, one of said shells being of a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the folded sphere, the other of said shells being of a slightly larger diameter than said first shell, each of such shells having outturned lips thereon and clamp means for holding said lips together to thereby hold said shells and folded sphere in star identifying assembly.

8. For use in folding a flexible sphere having a map of the stars thereon to any selected zenith on its concave surface, a pair of hemispherical shells, one of said shells being of a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the folded sphere, the other of said shells being of a slightly larger diameter than said first shell, the second mentioned of said shells being located within the sphere to serve as a backing member to said first mentioned shell.

LESTER WOLFE. 

